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Time to let Myanmar in?

If Afghanistan could become a member of Saarc, it is argued, then there can be no objection to Myanmar’s entry into Saarc. The geopolitical and strategic factors of Myanmar will promote primary objectives of Saarc, and the organisation will be richer in dimension and importance.

Harun ur Rashid
IT is reported that Myanmar, now observer in the Saarc has, in May 2008, officially applied to the Saarc Secretariat for full membership. India is believed to be endorsing Myanmar's bid, and that has encouraged the latter. The application could be considered at the 16th Saarc Summit in the Maldives in 2009.
Saarc was constituted in 1985 in December at a summit in Dhaka, which adopted the Charter formally establishing the organisation. It started with seven member-countries, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The 13th Saarc Summit in Dhaka in November 2005 had approved Afghanistan's request for membership and the 14th Summit in New Delhi in 2007 formally inducted Afghanistan as its eighth member and included seven other countries -- China, Japan, Iran, Mauritius, South Korea, European Union and the United States -- as observers.
It is for the first time in its 22-year-old history that the Association has expanded its membership to eight countries. The request for observers at the Saarc Summits from distant countries demonstrates that Saarc has proved its usefulness in the regional political architecture. At the 15th Summit in August 2008 in Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Australia were inducted as observers.
The primary objectives of Saarc are self-help and cooperation among the member-countries for acceleration of economic growth and social progress. In other words, the seven member countries should work together towards finding solutions to their common problems in a spirit of friendship, trust and understanding, and towards creating an order based on mutual respect, equity and shared benefits.
Bangladesh and India are the only two countries, which have a land border with Myanmar. Myanmar was a pan of British India until 1935, when it was separated. India's last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah II, was buried in Rangoon (Yangon). Mynamar has deep historical and cul-
tural ties with the people of South Asian countries, in particular with Bangladesh and India.
Bangladesh and Myanmar observe New Year on April 14, Bangladesh with music and dance and Myanmar with sprinkling of water on people.
If Afghanistan could become a member of Saarc, it is argued, then there can be no objection to Myanmar’s entry into Saarc. The geopolitical and strategic factors of Myanmar will promote primary objectives of Saarc, and the organisation will be richer in dimension and importance.
Myanmar is a member of Asean, and cooperation between Saarc and Asean will be invigorated by its membership.
At present, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sector Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) has five Saarc members -- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. If Myanmar, a member of Bimstec, becomes a member of Saarc, the objectives of Bimstec, which are designed to help promote and improve transport infrastructure and logistic among the Bimstec countries, will be further stregthened.
So far, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has already finished a project called Bimstec Transport Infrastructure and Logistic Study (BTILS). The final report of the said study from ADB has already been conveyed to all members, and feedback is awaited. Other fields of cooperation will be designed later on.
Bangladesh has been keen to have a
road connection with Myanmar. The proposed road of 130 kilometres will start from Gundum and end at Bawli Bazar in Myanmar.
Bangladesh has taken an initiative to construct a 43 kilometre road at its own expense, of which 23 kilometres are in Bangladesh and the rest, including a 100-feet long bridge, will be in Myanmar. Bangladesh's communications minister has reportedly given the construction of the road top priority in the matter of inter-connectivity within the neighbours.
Observers say that Asean may support Myanmar's entry into Saarc, considering it in a positive light, as it has itself been keen to expand its economic cooperation with South Asian countries, in particular with India that is emerging as a powerhouse in Asia.
It is not known what the response will be from other member countries to Myanmar’s membership to Saarc. Bangladesh may support Myanmar's inclusion in Saarc, because trade and investment are likely to receive a boost from Myanmar's inclusion.
It is suggested that Bangladesh may take diplomatic initiatives to rally support for Myanmar's inclusion in Saarc at the 16th Summit in the Maldives in the second half of 2009. If Myanmar is accepted, it will be Saarc's ninth member.
Banister Harun ur Rashid is a former Bangladesh Ambassador to the UN. Geneva.